Man charged in fatal shooting

A Jefferson City man was charged Thursday in connection with a March 12 shooting that killed a former resident.

Prosecutors charged Terrell Edwards, 28, of 316 Cherry St., with unlawful use of a weapon by shooting at a vehicle resulting in death.

Police previously reported that Cortez Bellamy, 24, died from a gunshot wound to the head after he was shot about 3:50 a.m. near the corner of West Dunklin and Broadway streets.

The charge against Edwards is a class A felony, which carries a range of punishment from 10-30 years in prison or life in prison.

“We are still following many leads, and other charges against this individual are possible,” Capt. Bob Clark said. “We are getting a little more cooperation, but we would like to get more.”

Clark said Edwards was picked up in the Kansas City area Wednesday and brought back to Cole County. He said Edwards left Jefferson City after the shooting nearly two weeks ago.

Edwards is being held without bond in the Cole County Jail. He also had been charged March 18 with distributing a controlled substance in Cole County in January.

Clark also said more arrests could be made in the Bellamy murder case.

According to the police probable cause statement, Edwards was involved in a physical confrontation with a female at Rumors Nightclub, 710 Madison St., around 1 a.m. March 12.

Edwards left the nightclub and went to College Complex in the 2400 block of Industrial Drive.

At College Complex, Edwards met with two associates, police said, and a physical confrontation occurred between Edwards’ associates and associates of the woman Edwards had fought with at Rumors.

“During the College Complex confrontation,” the police statement reported, Edwards’ associates “physically fought with” Bellamy and some of his associates.

That fight forced College Complex to close about 3:45 a.m., causing both groups to leave.

The police said Bellamy and his associates drove to the area of Missouri Boulevard and Dix Road, where they saw Edwards’ associates standing outside of a vehicle and Edwards sitting in another vehicle.

Police said Edwards joined his associates in their car, and all three followed the vehicle Bellamy was riding in.

A witness in Bellamy’s vehicle told police “they were aware they were being followed eastbound along Missouri Boulevard, so they turned onto Dunklin Street.”

This same witness said Bellamy’s vehicle was slowing or stopping because of a red light at Broadway Street, when Bellamy opened his door, leaned out and was struck in the head by a bullet.

Bellamy’s associates then drove immediately to Capital Region Medical Center to get him medical attention.

He died later that day from his wound at University Hospital in Columbia.

Police said one of Edwards’ associates admitted to a witness that he, along with Edwards, fired weapons at Bellamy’s vehicle from the vehicle they were riding in.

Police found Edwards’ vehicle a few hours after the shooting, at an address known to be used by one of Edwards’ associates in the car.

Witnesses told police that Edwards and his associates left Jefferson City after the murder occurred.

Police said evidence gathered at the crime scene showed two firearms were used, but no evidence was found that Bellamy or his associates were armed with weapons.